Method of extinguishing fires.



. PATENTBD JUNE 30, 1903. A. VAN RIPER & P. P. GUTHRIE. METHOD OF EXTINGUISHING FIRES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented June 30, 1903.

PATENT FFICE.

ABRAM ll. VAN RIPER AND PATRIGK FRANCIS GUTHRIE, OF NUTLEY, NEW JERSEY.

METHOD OF EXTINGUISHING FIRES.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent N 0. 732,143, dated June 30, 1903.

Application filed March 18, 1902.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be itknown that we, ABRAM H. VAN RIPER and PATRICK FRANCIS GUTHRIE, citizens of the United States, and residents of Nutley, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for ExtinguishingFires, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention relates to means for extinguishing fires which in addition to the blanketing and smothering effect due to the shutting olf of thesupply of oxygen to'the flame, as is accomplished by the extinguishing agencies heretofore known, the oxygen which otherwise would be available to supply the flame is also prevented from reaching the same by being previously absorbed or united with the products of the decomposition of the hyposulfite of soda, and thus its effective action upon the flame destroyed.

In the accompanying drawing we have illustrated one form of appa ratusifor carrying out our invention which is adapted for use in houses, factories, and public buildings.

The cylinder 1 is attached to thewatersupply pipe 2 at any point that may be desired. A suflicient length ofhose 3 to reach any required point in the floor-space to be protected is attached to the outlet 4 of the cylinder and is coiled on a reel 5, suspended from the cylinder itself, as by a bracket 6. The cylinder may be of any size desired and is adapted to contain suflicient hyposulfite of soda to be dissolved in twentyfive, fifty, or one hundred gallons of water in the requisite proportions. If the cylinder be of the twenty-five-gallon size, th en the cartridge within the same is charged with about five and one-half pounds of hyposulfite, which will form a solution having a specific gravity of about 1.75 Baum.

Heretofore in the use of fire-extinguishing agents the fluid or water containing the cheml ical has been sprayed or otherwise forcedl into contact with the source of combustion and the flames, the extinguishing action being due to the presence of some unoombustible gas, such as carbon'dioxid, and to thecooling eifect of the fluid, such as water. In J such instances it has been customary to use p a solution containing or giving oif carbon Serial Np. 9&767- (No specimens.)

dioxid or sulfurdioxid formed by the action of sulfuric acid uponmarble, or 02.00,, or by dissolving hyposulfite of soda in water and allowing the latter to stand until ready for use. Owing to the unstable nature of the solutions of hyposulfite of soda and water when kept ready for use the remaining mixture of sulfite of soda and sulfate of soda does not accomplish the purpose of ourinven-tion, and in addition an active corrosive efiect upon nearlyall objects exposedto itsinfluence is found to exist. Our invention is materially different from these agents, and its operation and efiect are that in addition to the blanketing and smothering action we cut oif most of the oxygen before it reaches the flame by absorbing the same through chemical action.

Hyposulfite of soda, Na- S O 5(H O), in its crystallineform containing the excessof water of crystallization when dissolved in water and immediately used upon the flame is decomposed. in such a manner as to liberate sodium sulfite and sulfur. The latter then unites with the oxygen of the air and forms sulfur dioxid and ultimately with more oxygen forming sulfuric acid. The sodium sulfite also takes oxygen to form sulfate. The reactions are as follows:

from the air, and thus prevented from combining with the combustible gases given off by the burning material. By our process of using this salt of sodium the water is not applied to the crystals until demanded, as when a fire occurs, and then the water is caused to j rapidly dissolve a quantity of the hyposulfite suflicient to give the reactions as hereinabove set forth. In use the water from the source of supply is made to pass through a suitable receptacle,such as thatshown in the accom panying drawing, containing the crystals either in the form of a cartridge or in bulk. It will be seen that the decomposition of the hyposulfite of soda takes place only at the source of heat or at the flame, and any of the solution Whichmay pass over the fire without coming in contact with it and fall upon delicate fabrics or other destructible material is perfectly harmless, being a neutral solution as regards acids and alkalies. The unused solution upon vaporatiou results only in the recrystallization of the hyposulfite, which may be easily removed. I

The crystals used in our process or method should be as large as convenient. When small crystals or particles are used, the cooling'aetion due to the rapid dissolving of the hyposulfite of soda freezes the mass, and so prevents the free flow of Water. It is our purpose to utilize fine crystals of the commercial hyposulfite by dissolving and recrystallizing the same.

Minor changes in the use and adaptation of our invention may be made Without departing from the spirit of our invention; but

What we clainnan'd desire to protect by Let:

diately applying the resulting solution to the flame or source of combustion, substantially as described.

3. The method of extinguishing fire consisting in rapidly dissolvingcrystals of hypo- 5. The method of extinguishing fire comcrystals of hyposulfite of soda, then immediately conveying the solution to the burning material whereby sulfur and sulfite of soda are formed by the heat andthe immediately, surrounding oxygen absorbed thereby, sub-M f '60 6. The method ofextitguishingfirethrough stantially as described;

the medium of sodium srzlfite and sulfur, com prising the forming of a solution from hypov sulfite of soda by theiapplication theretoi of running water'so that said's'olu tion will; have a specificigravity oi' substantially 1.75 I

prising the forming of a solution by passing running Water through a confined body of 1 Baum, then i'mmediately-ponveying the same to the burning material substantiallyas de-- scribed. V

In witness whereof Weghave hereuntoseu our hands this 4th day ofiMarch, A. I). 1902. ABRAM H. VAN PIPER. 1: 1[[.. 8.],

PATRICK FRANCISEGUTHRIILZ ['L. 5;]

Witnesses:

HARRY OTTER, THOMAS L. BRANDRETH. 

